Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-09
Elk EMPRESS EUGENE.

And what romantic life has been helsl
When young girl, under the care of her
mother, the Countess Montiio, she knew what
it was to share that eccentric lady's poverty
one day and plenty the next Sometimes
they lived over grocer shop in Versailles
and sometimes had fine apartments
in Paris Then Eugene married Louis
Napoleon and drank deep of glory.
Later came the end of the dynasty.
Of which she had formed so conspicuous
part; the last sad days OH the throne; the
Prusslan victories; the fight, when, but for
the courage and ingenuity of Dr. Evans, the
American dentist, she would have shared the
Fate Of Marie Antoinette, whose memory she
adored and whose end she had premonitio,.
she would share; and then the death of Ma
poleon, and at last the death of her son. in
which she was robbed Of her last hope as well
as her last domestic tie. All this she looks
back on in memory, while the future holds
no earthly promise. She has only to wait for
the end, her days made interesting to the rest
Of the world by her past joys and sorrows.
One Of our American writers said of her in
her days Of glory: "She is the prettiest
woman, with the least sense, in all Europe
From other sources came again and again the
assertion that she was narrow minded and
uninte!ectual. These defects did not figure
much, however. Her sweet manners blinded
all eyes to them. Her great strength was
her wardrobe. She set the fashions CT the
world while France was ruled by its last
monarch. 1t was said of her with truth that
she never wore shabby thing and never
said wise one." When empress she was
often called upon to make remarks in public.
She always acquitted herself with credit, but
IL was because she was we'll coached. All her
appropriate little speeches" were written for
her beforehand and she was carefully taught
how to utter them. Her education was as
limited as her toilets were splendid and ex-
travagant. She always had at hand more
than 300 gowns, and parasols, FANS furs. laces
and other toilet adjuncts beyond number.
Throughout her married life she received in
monthly payments pin money to the amount
OF S24O, 600 a year, and spent it to the last
franc. When she fed from the TuilIeries she
left everything but her jewels, and they would
not have been saved had it not been for the
efforts OF Nine. Carette, one Of her ladies in
waiting.
The ex empress has one possession supposed
10 De able to make any ones life somewhat
fair, II not happy, and that is money. She j.
one OF the richest women in Europe. Her
revenue comes from three sources-tbe in
Surance on the emperor's life, the product of
savings and speculations, and the real estate
sne bought IN her own name when on tn,
throne: She has estates in Spain, Switzerland
ana hungary, and under her sons will she
acquires properties near Trieste and In
Tuscany, as well as houses and grounds in
Toulouse ~
IL Is thirty-six or more years ago since she
hrst began to dazzle the fashionable Partisan
world. Lovely, rather than beautiful was
the term applied to her. She appeared at the
opera and was stared at and admired bv an
the swelldom of Paris, which was not lone !,
finding out that she was the yoxng Fpuenio
lie MontiJo, Countess de Teba. Fond of
hirting, but in no sense immoral, she received
much attention, and displayed a miscbiaf
loving spirit. She found much endowment in
ridlcnlng the president Of the republic, Prince
Louis Napoleon. His nose was too long and
MS legs were too short, and his dress wns
accountable. These and other anfiatteripg
comments she freely ext ressed. One evening
the mirthful girl was presented to the tact,
TURN president at one of the balls of the
Hiysee. he at once became her declared
adorer. She determined to marry him
he' IL said, had not at first any such
lheeheion. there Is story that the new
made emperor one day rode beneath the
window Of Mile. de Montijo's apartment at
the palace of Compiegne during one of the
earlier parties there, and, pausing, called ont
70 the young lady, allow can get up To
your You must go round through the
,hapei, sire," was the laughing response
And go round through the chapel at last ba
lid "o' ne
ihougn surrounded by gay and thought
less court no breath of sc.nda, -
''e4Inu ABOUT Inc empress. The emperor
never lost his admiration for her Nor, 81.
he is again alone in her splendid home Tho
people of many countries nav her gr.a,
ioniage.